Gnocchi Topped Cottage Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra to toss
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1⁄2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1⁄2 tablespoon flour
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1⁄2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 pound gnocchi
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until translucent.  Reduce heat to low and add garlic, tomato paste, and flour.  Cook, stirring, 1 minute.  Add ground beef and cook, stirring, until browned and cooked through.  Add bay leaf, thyme, peas, and beef broth.  Increase heat to high and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  
  2. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook gnocchi as instructed by packaging.  Drain well.  Add butter to now-empty pot and melt over medium heat.  Return gnocchi to pot and cook, stirring often, until browned and starting to crisp.  
  3. Heat oven to 375*F.  Transfer beef mixture to casserole dish.  Top with gnocchi then sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.  

Comments

This recipe is from Fuss Free Cooking and I think topping cottage pie with gnocchi is the most brilliant thing ever.  I did opt to brown the gnocchi since it’s just better that way.  I love crispy gnocchi.